The mid-war skies over the Reich became the crucible of electronic warfare, and for the pilots of the German Nachtjagd (Night Fighter) force, the introduction of Allied Mandrel jamming was a catastrophic, instantaneous blow that redefined aerial combat. Prior to 1943, the Luftwaffe’s system relied heavily on the Telefunken FuG 202/212 'Lichtenstein' series airborne intercept (AI) radar. Operating primarily in the 90 MHz band, the Lichtenstein B/C provided the vital final-approach guidance, turning vast darkness into manageable hunting grounds. Coupled with the ground-controlled 'Himmelbett' sector defense system, these fighters were efficient killers.
This efficiency evaporated on the nights Mandrel was introduced. Mandrel (the codename for the systematic, broad-spectrum noise jamming deployed by specialized RAF aircraft, often ahead of the main bomber stream) was designed specifically to overwhelm the narrow frequency band used by early Lichtenstein sets. Unlike 'Window' (Chaff/Düppel), which physically masked targets with radar-reflective strips, Mandrel was pure electromagnetic aggression—powerful, constant white noise transmitted directly into the German receivers.
The psychological shock among the German radar operators (Bordfunker) was profound. In the cramped, dark cockpit of a Messerschmitt Bf 110 or Junkers Ju 88, the Bordfunker’s world was the small, green cathode ray tube of the Lichtenstein scope. They were used to seeing clear, distinct blips representing the four-engined RAF heavies. When Mandrel was activated, this structured image dissolved instantaneously. The screen was no longer a tactical map; it became a violent, undulating mass of 'grass'—saturation noise that extended across the entire display. The Lichtenstein, designed to be sensitive, was simply overloaded by a flood of hostile energy. The radar range collapsed from several kilometers to zero visibility.
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